The heroine dies from the scent of poisoned flowers: a bunch of violets becomes the symbol of her ill-fated love, destroyed by jea ...

The heroine dies from the scent of poisoned flowers: a bunch of violets becomes the symbol of her ill-fated love, destroyed by jealousy, hate and political intrigue. Adriana Lecouvreur, who is modelled on a leading Comédie-Française actress who probably died of poison in 1730, is in love with Maurizio, a young soldier. He turns out to be the Graf of Sachsen, who had an affair with the Princess of Bouillon. The scheming Princess is not at all amused that her erstwhile lover is in love with the actress. Maurizio vascillates between the Princess’ expectations and his new love. Adriana becomes the innocent victim of intrigue. Role play in real life and on stage become more and more entangled, the boundaries fluid. Adriana is given a bunch of poisoned violets by her rival on her birthday. Maurizio can do nothing to help her. She dies just at the moment when things are turning out for the best.L’Arlesiana and Adriana Lecouvreur are regarded as Cilea’s most important works, his only operas which are still performed today. The complex character portrayals of the two rivals, rewarding theatre in the theatre situations and libretto provide for gripping drama and touching musical moments.
Francesco Cilea is regarded as Italian verismo’s successor, his Adriana as one of the great singer operas. A piece about theatre, in the theatre – but rooted in reality. This early 20th century opera is like a cabinet of mirrors. Adrienne Lecouvreur, really did exist. She was one of the most popular French actresses of the 18th century. Her relationship with Count Moritz of Saxony is also based on historical fact, as is his affair with the Princess of Bouillon. But it was Eugène Scribe’s idea that the Princess got rid of her rival by sending her a dangerously beautiful bunch of violets. Cilea and his librettist Ernest Legouvé based the opera on Scribe’s play of the same name. In the operatic version the boundaries between reality and fiction increasingly blur. Cilea’s music is often classified as Italian verismo, but his sound language was clearly influenced by French impressionism. The score underlines the surreal nature of the libretto – an aspect expanded by the composer in a second edition of the work. With four powerful and almost equally balanced main roles this is a real singers’opera.

Synopsis

The opera is based on a real event in the history of French theatre: Adriana Lecouvreur, an actress and star of Comédie Française, ...

The opera is based on a real event in the history of French theatre: Adriana Lecouvreur, an actress and star of Comédie Française, and Graf Moritz von Sachsen are in love. Moritz had been in a relationship with the Princess of Bouillon, which he ended for Adriana’s sake. The Princess takes her revenge by poisoning the actress with the scent from a bunch of violets, which she sends her in Moritz’ name.